Compounds that release a development inhibitor depending upon the density of the image at the time of development of a silver halide photographic light sensitive material (so-called DIR) are known. Examples of known DIR compounds are DIR hydroquinone derivatives as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,379,529 and 3,620,746, and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 129536/74. These DIR hydroquinones are, as described in the above patents, used for the purpose of attaining the so-called DIR effect, e.g., control of image tone, an improvement in graininess, image sharpness and color reproduction.
Although these DIR hydroquinones have desirable properties, they also have various defects. A first defect is that a sufficient DIR effect cannot be obtained because the compounds are not sufficiently active. A second defect is that incorporation of the compound into a light-sensitive emulsion layer as a dispersion deteriorates the storage stability of the light-sensitive material. A third defect is that synthesis of the compounds is not easy. A fourth defect is that poor storage stability of a coating solution containing the compound deteriorates the photographic properties.